SF Giants CEO Larry Baer to Take ‘Time Off’ After Video of Physical Altercation With His Wife Surfaced Friday

Published March 4, 2019•Updated on March 4, 2019 at 11:21 pm

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San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer will take personal time off after a video of an altercation with his wife surfaced on Friday, according to a statement from the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Baseball Associates.

"Mr. Baer has acknowledged that his behavior was unacceptable, apologized to his organization and is committed to taking steps that this never happens again," said the statement, which was the first statement issued by the Giants organization three days after the incident. "He has also requested, and the Board has accepted, his request to take personal time away from the Giants beginning today. The board has asked the Giants executive team to manage the day to day operations of the Club during this period, reporting directly to the board."

The statement from the Giants said that the board of directors was closely monitoring the matter involving Giants president and CEO. "Pursuant to League policy, Major League Baseball is taking the lead in gathering all facts surrounding the situation. The organization is cooperating fully with the process."

A video showing Baer involved in a physical altercation in San Francisco with his wife surfaced Friday.

The video posted by TMZ shows Baer struggling to get a cell phone from his wife, Pam, who was also heard screaming during the incident. Baer's wife also falls to the ground during the struggle.

She can be heard screaming: “Oh my God, no, help!”

In a statement Baer and his wife said: "Regrettably today we had a heated argument in public over a family matter. We are deeply embarrassed by the situation and have resolved the issue."

Baer later in the evening provided the following statement:

"I am truly sorry for the pain that I have brought to my wife, children and to the organization. It is not reflective of the kind of a person that I aspire to be, but it happened and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that I never behave in such an inappropriate manner again."

TMZ reported the incident occurred Friday around noon at a plaza at Hayes and Octavia streets in Hayes Valley.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Baer said in an interview it was a "squabble over a cell phone."

“My wife and I had an unfortunate public argument related to a family member and she had an injured foot and she fell off her chair in the course of the argument...”

The matter is resolved. It was a squabble over a cell phone. Obviously it’s embarrassing.”

Baer said he had apologized to his wife and the police were not involved.

When NBC Bay Area reporters showed up at the plaza Friday afternoon, they saw an SFPD officers asking questions to business owners there. The plaza has a number of small shops and food trucks, including coffee, juice and ice cream and is a popular neighborhood gathering spot.

Workers at a food truck intervened when the argument between the couple "turned physical," they said. The altercation — which has now gone viral — was filmed by one of them. "It seemed like she was confronting him and wanted to do it in a public place," he told NBC Bay Area.

The man said that he didn't know who Baer was until a bystander told him he was the Giants CEO. He said TMZ paid him a "lot of money" for rights to publishing the video.

He added: “Basically she fell, but still you shouldn’t put hands on her like that.”

An NBC Bay Area crew saw detectives questioning witnesses near where Baer had the altercation.

He added that the couple had been arguing, with his wife saying at one point, “Larry, sit down, sit down.”

Here's the full statement from the Giants:

"The Board of Directors of San Francisco Baseball Associates is closely monitoring the matter involving Giants President and CEO Larry Baer. Pursuant to League policy, Major League Baseball is taking the lead in gathering all facts surrounding the situation. The organization is cooperating fully with the process.

"Mr. Baer has acknowledged that his behavior was unacceptable, apologized to the organization and is committed to taking steps to make sure that this never happens again. He has also requested, and the Board has accepted, his request to take personal time away from the Giants beginning today. The Board has asked the Giants executive team to manage the day to day operations of the Club during this period, reporting directly to the Board.

"As leaders in the community, we at the Giants hold ourselves to the highest standards and those standards will guide how we consider this matter moving forward."

Editor's Note: NBC Bay Area does not know what happened preceding the recording of the incident and has not seen the unedited version.

Christopher Jewett contributed reporting to this story

Detectives are questioning witnesses near where Larry Baer was filmed in an altercation with his wife Pam today. I spoke with the man who shot the video and he told me “basically she fell, but still you shouldn’t put hands on her like that” said an argument preceded the incident pic.twitter.com/RR40LDmRDl
— Christopher Jewett (@sfnewsman) March 1, 2019

Workers in a food truck intervened when an argument btwn Giants CEO Larry Baer and his wife got physical at this #SanFrancisco plaza The altercation was filmed by one of them and has now gone viral. “It seemed like she was confronting him and wanted to do it in a public place” pic.twitter.com/8KppAcb4Fb
— Christopher Jewett (@sfnewsman) March 2, 2019